The overarching goals of the Administrative and Resource Access Core (ARAC) are to coordinate and integrate all activities of the Center, including Core reporting, P/F administration and enrichment activities. These organizational goals include promoting awareness of and interest in digestive disease related research through several linked mechanisms. First, the ARAC is committed to fostering and encouraging collaborative, trans-disciplinary research activities across the WU community through biomedical cores that provide enabling technology to its members with the goal of expanding research capacity. Secondly, the ARAC is committed to attracting investigators from other disciplines into digestive disease research and to promote these interests in trainees and junior faculty through an extensive Enrichment Program that includes research seminars, workshops and dedicated mentoring. Thirdly, the ARAC is committed to identifying and nurturing the careers of junior faculty interested in digestive disease through a rigorously peer reviewed Pilot/Feasibility Program that provides seed support for the most promising work. Fourthly, the ARAC is committed to promoting and enhancing synergies, among other NIDDK funded centers locally (DRC, NORC) as well as other DDRCCs regionally (through the Midwest Alliance)and nationally. The Specific Aims for ARAC include:(1)Promote and enhance scientific dialog and collaboration centered on digestive disease among members spanning multiple departments and Centers, guided by a Steering Committee;(2) Organize and align core laboratories and services to provide state-of-the-art services and specialized expertise in line with members' needs;(3)0versee resource allocation through shared institutional Cores, guided by an Internal Executive Committee;(4)Review and align Research Base membership, guided by an Internal Executive Committee;(5)Assure stewardship of DDRCC resources in line with the needs of the Research Base and guided by an External Advisory Board;(6)Coordinate successful enrichment activities and promote career advancement of fellows and junior faculty interested in digestive disease research;(7)Assure dialog through web based communication, with other DDRCCs particularly those in the Midwest Alliance.